Dim Sum Party ::: Char Siu Bao + Shumai

I have an obsession with dim sum. Strange right? Maybe it’s the way they are served in cute stacked bamboo steamers or maybe it’s the wide variety of bite size pieces…either way I’m obsessed.

And you too will be if you try these recipes. Promise.

During a trip to Orlando we stopped by the outlets on the way home. I “accidentally” stumbled into the Le Creuset store and wound up leaving with a bamboo steamer, a rolling-pin (never owned one before!), and a gorgeous Le Creuset french oven. So naturally I needed to learn to make dim sum now that owned a bamboo steamer.

I tried many different types of dim sum recently in Hong Kong so for my first attempt I chose my two favorite: Char Siu Bao {BBQ Pork Buns} and Shumai {Pork and Shrimp Dumplings}. I honestly can’t get enough of these sweet and tasty cute little buns and savory dumplings. note: for the pork you need to marinate overnight, so plan ahead.

I suggest making dim sum for a casual dinner party where people can hang out near the kitchen with massive amounts of saké or wine. {Kome Kome is my favorite} The reason being, unless you own like 10 steamers and 2 stove tops they take a while to make and come out in small batches. To me they taste best right out of the steamer. I chose to serve them as they finished steaming, one small batch at a time.

Mix marinade ingredients in a large plastic bag. Clean pork loin and poke with a skewer or fork multiple times. Place in plastic bag and marinade overnight for the best flavor, massaging often. Cook pork loin by following these instructions.

I didn’t have a roasting pan, so I cooked mine in a Le Creuset french oven with the lid off. 375º for 15 minutes, then baste with marinade. Continue cooking the pork now at 350º for 10 minutes then baste with honey mixture, then cook 10-15 more minutes.

While pork is cooking, put the leftover marinade in a saucepan and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the additional ingredients “for the BBQ sauce” and simmer on low for 15 minutes stirring often. The sauce is done when it is a nice thick BBQ sauce.

Take the pork out of the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Slice the pork as seen above and then chop the pork into small squares. Mix these with the finished BBQ sauce and set aside covered. This is now your filling for the buns.

Make dough and buns according to this recipe.Place in bamboo steamer on top of parchment paper squares. Steam on medium heat in a bamboo steamer for 15 minutes, checking the water often to make sure there is enough.

Shumai {Pork and Shrimp Dumplings} yields 20-25 dumplings

3/4 lb lean ground pork

1/2 pound raw shrimp {peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped}

2 tbs carrots (finely chopped)

5 scallions (sliced thin, only the white parts)

2 tbs fresh cilantro (finely chopped)

1 can water chestnuts (finely chopped)

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs sake

1 tbs sesame oil

½ tsp white pepper

3 tsp corn starch

1 tsp salt

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp crushed red pepper

20-25 sheets round wonton wrappers {if you can only find square use a cup to cut a circle in the dough}

Using square wonton wrappers: Paint top side of the wonton with egg. Place 1 tbs of pork mixture in center. Pull together two corners and pinch. Continue pinching down each side to form a triangle. You can also pinch together the “legs” to make them prettier. (see below)

Using round wonton wrapper: Paint top side of the wonton with egg. Place 1 tbs of pork mixture in center. Hold the wonton in your left hand in a cupping motion. With your right hand start pinching around in a circle until you have gone all around. Wonton should be “cupping” the pork mixture. (See below)

Place on squares of parchment paper so they do not stick to the bamboo. Steam over medium-high heat in a bamboo steamer for 15 minutes checking the water often to make sure there is enough.

Hi Keeley, thank you so much for using my char siu recipe. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I keep planning to made the bao buns too but whenever I have char siu pork ready, it miraculously disappears before i can get to make the buns LOL. Thanks again, Debs.